Chapter 410: Mortals, Do Not Overstep Your Bounds!
In a moment, a young man and a girl with large sleeves appeared before the eyes of the gods.
Above the girl's head was a peculiar creature that looked like a toad but had a pair of dragon horns.
"It's you, Martial God Zhongli!"
Upon seeing the newcomers, Asura's hand holding the sword trembled slightly, and he exclaimed in surprise.
He had suspected that the person inside might be Zhongli, but he never expected it to actually be him!
The reason for his suspicion was that the amber-colored barrier was identical in color to the energy Zhongli used.
But he couldn't be sure.
In Asura's mind, Zhongli might be slightly stronger than him, but not by much.
Facing the attacks of the gods, this barrier remained completely unmoved.
It was from this point that Asura dismissed the idea that Zhongli was the suspect.
"Hmph, he can't be that strong!"
Poseidon frowned upon seeing Zhongli, Guizhong, and the Dragon King Azhdaha.
If he remembered correctly, Zhongli should have come to the divine realm alone.
Then who were these two?
Judging from the aura emanating from them, the vanished spiritual energy had mostly been absorbed by these two...
After a brief thought, Poseidon cautiously retreated behind the crowd.
He was now afraid that the Martial God might suddenly say, "Thanks to Poseidon for guiding the way!"
"What is this about?"
Zhongli pretended to be clueless. How could he not know that these people had been attacking the barrier for so long?
He bore absolute responsibility for the state of the divine realm.
"Morax, are these all enemies?"
Azhdaha, perched on Guizhong's head, asked.
He always felt that these people had ill intentions. Despite being weak, they looked fierce and menacing.
Who were they trying to scare?
If he were in his true form, he could flatten this place in an instant!
Of course, with his current strength, flattening this place wouldn't be too difficult either.
Having absorbed so much spiritual energy, elemental energy, and the power of the earth, the energy contained within his small body was also extremely terrifying.
If Zhongli said these people were enemies, he was ready to take action.
Even though he was kind and had voluntarily been sealed by Zhongli for so many years, it wasn't to say he had no temper at all!
Morax was arrogant, and the Dragon King Azhdaha was equally arrogant!
To say that they were not allies of mere ants, it was clear that Azhdaha subconsciously only acknowledged the strong.
Before Zhongli could say anything, Kindness glanced at Asura, surprised that Asura actually knew this person?
"Who are you, and why are you destroying the divine realm?"
Kindness's voice was gentle, and she was indeed a kind goddess.
The gods did not immediately attack, fearing it might be a misunderstanding...
Mostly, they were afraid of dying, afraid they couldn't win...
The Fire God was even more direct, hiding far away.
"I am Azhdaha, the Dragon King, born of elemental crystallization, as eternal as the mountains and seas!"
"You ants, how dare you harbor killing intent towards me? Aren't you afraid of my retribution?"
Azhdaha spoke first. Although he had become smaller, his voice still thundered, shaking the heavens and the earth.
Upon hearing this, the gods were nearly infuriated!
Who was the one causing trouble?
Who was responsible for the divine realm being in such a ruined state?
They hadn't even attacked yet, merely asking why the divine realm was being destroyed, and yet the other party called them ants!
What an Azhdaha, this guy was even more arrogant than the Dragon God!
Wait, Azhdaha, the Dragon King?
They knew of the Nine Dragon Kings, even the Gold and Silver Dragon Kings split from the Dragon God, but this toad-like Dragon King, they had neither seen nor heard of.
What kind of Dragon King was he?
"Such arrogance!"
"Even if the Dragon God were alive, he wouldn't dare speak to us like this!"
"Ants?"
"You're the one who's an ant!"
The gods were furious. They were already very angry, and Azhdaha's words only ignited their rage further.
Fortunately, they still had some sense and didn't immediately attack.
"???"
Azhdaha looked at the gods in confusion. These ants were already weak, and he wasn't allowed to say so?
Only five slightly stronger ants were somewhat noteworthy, the rest were just so-so.
Azhdaha jumped from Guizhong's head to the ground, and in an instant, the entire earth trembled slightly.
"Mortals, do not overstep your bounds!"
Azhdaha roared at the gods, his voice carrying the might of the earth, causing the gods to retreat a few steps in fear.
When the gods looked at Azhdaha again, they frowned.
What on earth was this tiny Azhdaha, the Dragon King?
How could he command the power of the earth?
Could he be the Mountain Dragon King?
But the Mountain Dragon King didn't look like this...
"Roar~"
Facing Azhdaha's roar, the gods gasped. They finally understood where this tiny Azhdaha got the confidence to call the gods ants and treat them as mortals!
This guy was the culprit who had absorbed the earth's power of the divine realm!
Asura, Destruction, and the other gods' expressions changed.
Despite being so small, the pressure he exerted was no less than facing the Dragon God of old, even slightly surpassing it.
What kind of monster was this!
The gods exchanged glances, unsure of what to do.
If they fought, the divine realm would likely be destroyed today.
If they didn't fight, they would lose some face.
But losing face was minor; the loss to the divine realm was major!
"Three of you, I think we can have a proper discussion."
"The losses to the divine realm, you..."
"Your losses have nothing to do with me!"
"You absorbed the spiritual energy, vast amounts of elemental energy, and the most important earth's power of the divine realm. Isn't that your responsibility?"
Kindness was infuriated. What kind of Azhdaha was this, who didn't even reason with them?
At least the Dragon God could be reasoned with, but this guy didn't treat them as humans at all...
"Whether you appear or not, the world will still exist!"
"The world belongs to all living beings, not to you!"
"You're just being unreasonable!"
"The divine realm was created by the Dragon God!"
Kindness instinctively roared.
"Is there a single dragon among you?"
The gods: "..."
"Although I don't know who this Dragon God is, since the world was created by a dragon, you ants are just usurpers!"
The gods: "..."
They felt that Azhdaha was insulting them, but they had no way to refute it.
The strong prey on the weak. They had won the Dragon God War, so the divine realm naturally belonged to them.
Now that the divine realm was destroyed, and by an extremely powerful and unfamiliar dragon, that was one thing.
But the most crucial point was that they couldn't even find a reason to refute!
"I am Azhdaha, the second-generation Geo Dragon King. Although I have no relation to this so-called Dragon God, he is a dragon, and I am also a dragon. What's wrong with absorbing some of the energy he left behind?"
The gods fell silent. Vaguely, they felt that Azhdaha's words made some sense!
####
Chapter 411: 411: Haagentus, Let Me Go!
The divine realm was created by the Dragon God. These deities are essentially squatters, but the nest was willingly given up by the Dragon God, not seized by them.
If the Dragon God hadn't voluntarily relinquished the divine realm and initiated the Dragon God War, the divine realm would likely still be ruled by dragons and beasts.
The Dragon God's power is undeniable. If he hadn't willingly lowered his defenses, even the Asura Demon Sword couldn't have harmed him!
This Geo Dragon King is so domineering, spouting nonsense, yet none of the deities dared to act.
Even Asura and Destruction, the God Kings who advocate for battle, remained silent.
Fighting this Geo Dragon King, regardless of the outcome, would likely lead to the destruction of the divine realm, wouldn't it?
The atmosphere was tense, and the deities dared not even breathe heavily, fearing the ground beneath them might suddenly split open, leaving them all as rootless driftwood.
In the universe, there are many deities who are "rootless driftwood." Their divine thrones are not anchored in the divine realm, limiting their strength.
Without the nourishment of immortal energy, their lifespans are drastically reduced.
This is why the divine realm is so important.
Unless their lifespans are nearing their end, few deities are willing to pass on their divine thrones.
Staying in the divine realm is far better than being rootless driftwood.
Of course, some deities have encountered perfect successors, such as Poseidon in the original timeline, who believed Tang San was a perfect successor and thus passed on the Sea God's throne to him.
In the eyes of many deities, Poseidon was just a youngling. For him to do this was no small sacrifice.
Unfortunately, Poseidon didn't know that Tang San's ascension to godhood would bring suffering to the Douluo Continent.
His followers suffered heavy casualties, and the Douluo Continent lost control over the seas.
The Douluo Continent did evolve, but was it still the Douluo Continent of the people?
It had completely evolved into the Tang Family Continent!
If one wasn't related to the "Blue Silver Emperor," it was nearly impossible to thrive.
"Alright, alright."
Guizhong walked behind the Geo Dragon King, grabbed him, and held him in her arms.
"Our resurrection and revival have indeed caused them some trouble. Geo Dragon King, let's just let it go."
Guizhong is kind-hearted. Since the other side has no intention of fighting, it's better not to act.
If they had attacked, killing them would have been justified.
"Haagentus, these weak humans are taking advantage of your kindness. They wish they could kill us right now!"
"I bear the power of the earth and memories. I cannot be wrong!"
"Haagentus, let me go, or you might get hurt!"
The Geo Dragon King struggled slightly, fearing he might harm this kind-hearted deity. In his eyes, Guizhong is also very fragile.
Zhongli cares deeply for this dear friend, and so does he.
When Haagentus died, he grieved for a long time.
The ones who were most heartbroken were likely Morax and Madam Ping...
Hearing this, the deities were momentarily stunned.
Resurrection, revival?
For the divine realm, these are not uncommon terms.
No wonder the lost immortal energy and power were needed for these two to resurrect and revive. It makes sense now!
But even knowing this, what can they do? The other side is so domineering and unreasonable. Can they really fight?
Can they win?
They'd probably die!
"Even gods make mistakes, not just humans."
"Let's give them a chance, okay?"
The girl with the large sleeves said with anticipation. She and the Geo Dragon King are also close friends.
She used to often invite the Geo Dragon King to play, but his massive body often caused destruction.
Now that he's so small, he looks rather cute.
"Hmph~"
The Geo Dragon King snorted at the deities. He's not unreasonable; it's just that these "people" had murderous intentions from the start.
Did they think the earth has no temper?
That's why the Geo Dragon King is being unreasonable, even twisting logic.
"For Haagentus's sake, I'll give you one last chance. If there's a next time, I'll destroy the very home you rely on for survival!"
The Geo Dragon King's eyes flashed with red light, causing even the Evil God to tremble.
He believes the Geo Dragon King can and will do as he says!
But they were here to hold these two humans and a dragon accountable. How did it turn into the other side taking control?
Now, to accuse them or demand compensation, can they really do that?
Not to mention the Geo Dragon King, even the Martial God Zhongli is no pushover.
"If the three of you are willing to leave and promise never to return to the divine realm, we can let today's matter slide!"
Destruction said gravely. He had been observing Zhongli and the girl with the large sleeves, while the Geo Dragon King seemed the least threatening to him.
Today, it seems they cannot fight, so Destruction resorted to this compromise.
As long as these two humans and a dragon don't return to the divine realm, they'll let it go.
After all, they probably can't win against them.
Hearing this, the deities fell silent, as did the other four God Kings.
Perhaps this is the only way to resolve today's matter.
For a moment, not a single deity opposed Destruction, not even the Goddess of Life.
She's not afraid; she's just nearing the end of her life!
"Hmph, what are you saying?"
"Remember, it's us giving you a chance, not your magnanimity!"
"The Geo Dragon King speaks the truth!"
Guizhong is no naive fool. She nodded, fully agreeing with the Geo Dragon King.
After all, she's a deity who deeply understands her own limitations.
She once said that with her wisdom and Zhongli's strength, they could solve any problem.
How could such a deity abandon strength?
To compensate for her limitations, she even created the Guizhong Ballista!
The deities were furious but helpless.
What could they do?
They were desperate!
"Are you..."
Before Evil could finish his angry words, Destruction waved his hand, cutting him off.
"Fine, it's you giving us a way out. But please, don't return to the divine realm. Consider it mercy for the weak!"
As Destruction spoke, his entire body trembled. It wasn't fear but the struggle to control his emotions.
He knew that if he lost control, the divine realm might be destroyed.
So, he had to endure!
"Good, that's more like it!"
The Geo Dragon King nodded in satisfaction.
"I have no intention of being enemies with you all. My purpose here was only to resurrect and revive my dear friends."
Zhongli, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.
This matter is indeed his fault.
If he had only taken some immortal energy, the deities wouldn't have made such a fuss.
####
Chapter 412: Boundless Slaughter
"Although I have no intention of being enemies with you all, if you are ignorant and dare to oppose me..."
Zhongli, or rather, Morax, paused here, his eyes emitting an amber glow, and the tips of his hair slightly lifted.
In an instant, his human side vanished, and he transformed into a majestic figure. This figure radiated an amber divine light, covered in runes, with two "iron chains" encircling him.
He was clad in "divine attire," his face obscured beneath a hood, exuding a terrifying aura.
"Boundless Slaughter!"
Upon seeing this, Azhdaha murmured softly, yet he showed no fear.
He and Morax were the closest of comrades, brothers who could entrust their backs to each other.
In every major battle in Liyue, Azhdaha had been present, fighting alongside Morax from beginning to end.
After the death of Guizhong, the kind-hearted Morax had died, or perhaps he had hidden within the Boundless Slaughter.
With this form, Morax had dismembered the murderer into five parts, sealing them in five different locations within Liyue.
This showed the extent of Morax's rage at the time!
Even Osial, whom he despised, was merely sealed beneath Guyun Stone Forest. But that non-archon being was torn apart, leaving no intact corpse...
"Morax..."
Guizhong whispered, her eyes filled with a trace of confusion.
She remembered that Morax had never been like this. When had he changed so much?
For some reason, her heart ached slightly, and the words she wanted to say were swallowed back.
"Guizhong, after your death 3,700 years ago, Morax became like this..."
"The one who killed you was skinned, dismembered into five parts, and sealed in five different locations within Liyue, ensuring they could never reunite..."
"After your death, the battles in Liyue became even more intense. The archons either died or fled, and only Osial was fortunate enough to be sealed whole."
Azhdaha, held in Guizhong's arms, spoke softly.
Though his voice was low, everyone present was a powerhouse above level 100.
Though they didn't know who Osial was or who had killed the girl in the large sleeves, Morax's methods were truly horrifying!
Skinned and dismembered?
Cut into five pieces?
"Gasp—"
The gods collectively inhaled sharply, trembling under Zhongli's oppressive aura.
Terrifying, absolutely terrifying!
Only the God of Destruction, who saw things clearly, immediately backed down. If he had resisted, shouted "Kill!", or charged forward...
The consequences would have been unimaginable!
Asura was completely stunned. Under Zhongli's pressure, his eyes became as clear as a rookie's.
He had thought he could fight Zhongli, but he never expected it was just his own delusion...
Now, even his hand holding the Slaughter Demon Sword was trembling slightly.
He couldn't win, absolutely couldn't win!
Even if he and Poseidon's divine thrones were combined, they wouldn't be a match for this being!
Even the Dragon God would probably be a rookie in front of him...
"It's a good thing I didn't offend him too badly. After passing on my divine throne to Tang San, I should run as fast as I can."
Asura thought to himself, his resolve to flee growing stronger.
Once he became the former Asura, these matters would no longer concern him.
As if remembering something, Asura's face turned pale. He looked at Zhongli again, gritted his teeth, and finally made a decision.
"Martial God, due to a minor conflict over that inheritor, we had a small misunderstanding. I apologize for any offense!"
After saying this, Asura didn't hesitate. With his right hand, he swung the Slaughter Demon Sword and severed his left arm.
Without any defense, the sword cut through his arm, and dark golden blood sprayed out. Asura paid it no mind.
It was known that gods could be injured but could control whether they bled.
For gods, essence blood was extremely important.
Yet Asura not only severed his own arm but also let his divine blood spill!
He was a ruthless man!
Indeed, if he weren't ruthless, how could he have ascended to Asura throne through killing?
"Martial God, are you satisfied?"
Asura asked, his face pale.
Seeing this, Zhongli retracted his aura. He hadn't expected Asura to be so decisive!
Truly a being capable of reaching the God King level.
He could bend and stretch!
Those who could become God King-level beings were truly extraordinary.
In a moment, Zhongli returned to his human form and nodded at Asura.
Seeing this, the other gods finally understood why Asura knew Zhongli.
So, they had had a minor conflict!
Good heavens, Asura truly offended beings as terrifying as this!
After an unknown amount of time, Zhongli, Guizhong, and Azhdaha, under the gaze of the gods, passed through the teleportation array and returned to the Douluo Continent.
The gods collectively sighed in relief, but their faces showed a trace of confusion.
When had such a powerful deity appeared in the world?
A rootless god was actually stronger than them, the gods of the divine realm!
Could there be beings in the universe that they didn't know about?
As for how Zhongli had found the entrance to the divine realm, that was no longer important.
For a being like him, it would be strange if he couldn't find the entrance.
With a bit more time, was there anything he couldn't find?
"Everyone, after this battle, the divine realm has suffered greatly."
"If we don't adopt the God of Destruction's proposal to expand the divine realm, it may not be able to sustain our needs."
The gods had no objections to the Evil God King's words, but the God of Destruction fell into deep thought.
Would expanding the divine realm really help?
Even if the divine realm became stronger and better than before, if another being like Zhongli appeared, the divine realm would still be unable to withstand it.
The god who had proposed this idea fell silent.
The gods didn't bring up the fact that he had backed down earlier. If the God of Destruction hadn't taken the lead and willingly discarded his pride, the gods might not have escaped unscathed today.
Thus, the pride the God of Destruction had discarded wasn't his own, but that of all the gods in the divine realm.
Though the God of Destruction didn't speak in favor of expanding the divine realm, he didn't oppose it either. Perhaps this was the only way to save the divine realm.
Suddenly, the God of Destruction seemed to remember something and glanced at the Goddess of Life. He felt that his wife wasn't the ideal partner he had imagined.
When he had backed down, a trace of disdain had appeared in her eyes, and she had even taken a small step back, as if to distance herself from him.
"Little Green, you've changed after all."
The God of Destruction thought to himself, but he didn't voice it.